"♫♪♫ I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweetheart. I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my sweet (Ho!) ♫♪♫"
The male fairy sang as he flapped his wings quickly, unseen by the object of his desire—a beautiful woman staring, jaw-dropped in fascination at the blue-colored waters of what was known as the "Enchanted River." The love-struck fairy cast a magical spell, but every time he pointed his wand at the woman, it emitted a lackluster "pfffft" sound. The other fairies laughed in unison at him. The earthly woman stripped down to her swimwear, revealing a two-piece suit that accentuated her vivacious curves. Meanwhile, the Romeo-wannabe fairy accepted that his world would never blend with that of the woman. As he sat idle on a little stone, tears flowed down his eyes, wondering what it felt like to be a human in the earthly world.
Enchanted River: The Unearthly Basin of Deep Blue Waters | Hinatuan
A Surreal Discovery
Back in our world, the Enchanted River is located in Barangay Talisay, Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. It is actually closer to Butuan City than Surigao City. We arrived at our destination after a half-hour ride on a roller-coaster-like habal-habal. We were among the first visitors that day, and the river wasn't yet teeming with swimmers. I sat down and stared at the river, which was about the size of half a football field. The shimmery, slow-moving blue waters and visible limestone beneath created a surreal, unearthly appearance. I was immediately reminded of Terry Pratchett's imaginative world from his many fantasy books.
Island Hopping and Sea Sanctuaries
The Enchanted River is shaped like a giant bowl, with the deepest section in the center and shallower sections stretching toward the river's mouth, where it eventually meets the open sea. Because the river connects to the sea, visitors can take an island-hopping tour, which we did that morning. We spent the next hour and a half on the boat, passing by "C-Fish Cage N Sand Bars Resort," a fish sanctuary-turned-hostel in the middle of the sea. We also docked at a couple of small islands; however, if you have been to Coron, Palawan, or even El Nido, you might not be awed as much by the island-hopping aspect. I suggest you might just want to spend all of your time lounging at the Enchanted River.
Our last destination was called Margaret Island Peak. It is a small island with a curvy hill, and on top, you can regale in the panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. This place might have salvaged our brief island-hopping trip, which cost us 240 pesos for the boat rental (accommodating a maximum of four people for one and a half hours—not bad!).
The Mystery of the Deep
When we went back to the Enchanted River an hour and a half later, we headed to the nearby fresh seafood stalls, bought crabs and squid for our lunch, and had them cooked right then and there. While Nathalie awaited our lunch, Gael and I quickly went for a swim. Since it was a holiday, the place slowly filled up with people.
I tried to look under the river, but all I could see were rays of light reflecting luminously against the limestone rocks and a seemingly endless shade of blue. In the middle, however, a massive crack on a large boulder was visible, much like an open wound on flesh. Its entrance, I assumed, led to the river's deepest part. I had heard stories about scuba divers who tried exploring it but came up with no definitive answer as to how deep the Enchanted River truly reached beneath the surface.
Perhaps there was a portal to another world beneath. Possibly, the Enchanted River was a passageway to another reality that had become entangled with our own through a series of twists and turns. Okay, that was a stretch of my imagination. Whatever the case, I was glad I finally got to see it for myself. I was not sure if it conjured up a sense of enchantment, but the experience and the sight of it captivated me.
Enchanted River Quick Guide
A Fairytale Conclusion
When he saw the earthly woman again, she was talking to a man, and with a twinkle in her eyes, he saw a picture of a girl madly in love. Soon after, the earthly woman nudged the man, and they both leapt into the Enchanted River. Instead of being jealous, the fairy became visibly pleased with what he had witnessed. He flew over and stretched his wings, tried his wand again, and instead of a "pfffft," it sounded like an off-key G-minor. The next thing he knew, he was swimming in the middle of the Enchanted River, as earthly a creature as he could ever be.
"How deep do you think this is?" asked the beautiful woman.
"Uhm, were you talking to me?" asked the fairy who had now become an earthly creature.
"Yes, who do you think I am talking to?" answered the woman.
"This river is never-ending; its deepness cannot be measured," said the former fairy prince.
"Fair enough; my brother was kidding me that it leads to another world, that's why they call it the Enchanted River," said the woman.
"Your brother? I thought he was your lover," a beaming artist, formerly known as the fairy prince, said with delight.
"Nah, he's my silly brother," said the girl. "My name is Eileen, by the way. You are?"
"Oh, mine is, uh, Marky," he replied.
"Nice to meet you, Marky," said Eileen. "Likewise."
When he looked around, he noticed his fellow fairies scratching their heads, wondering what he was doing as an earthly creature. One of them tried to point his wand at him, but an elderly fairy stopped him and said, "Let him see and feel what the earthly world is like."
